When we started the Florida Coalition of School Board Members, the first thing we did was establish core values. To make it easy to remember, we used FCSBM as the first letter (an acrostic). Fiscally Responsiblity, Choice for Students and Families, Student and Community focused, Balance of measurement and meaning in testing, Make partnerships with the Legislature to shape policy at the state and local level. 

With the pivot to a strictly professional development model with a national reach, we felt it important to revisit the core values as we begin the process of uniting our community of members.

The Enduring Core Values of the Conservative School Board Member Coalition (CSBMC)...

1. The school board member is a collegial member of a board, but is elected individually to represent the will of the voters. The electorate chose a conservative and expected that board member to govern according to those values.

2. At CSBMC, our entire aim is to unite conservative school board members and equip them with the tools and training necessary to be the effective conservative school board member you campaigned to be. 

2022 Core Values Uniting Our Members, We Believe:

That Parental Rights are sovereign, including the setting in which children learn. We support educational freedom and believe that funds should follow the student. We helped pass and look forward to teaching school board members in other states how to work with lawmakers to adopt a similar Parents' Bill of Rights (link).

In teaching the historically accurate founding of America and the adjustments, such as Amendments 13, 14, 15, and 19 to the U.S. Constitution that made good on the promise made in the Declaration of Independence to treat all individuals according to our natural rights under the principle that “All Americans are created equal. And endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights”, without political spin or a social-engineering agenda. We acknowledge that America hasn't been perfect, but it is the greatest nation on Earth with a commitment to move towards "a more perfect Union".

Dividing students and families according to race as “oppressed” and “ oppressors” is contrary to our American ethos, but we still work to end any instances of racism.

Our name and office shouldn't be used to send taxpayer dollars to organizations whose advocacy efforts of groups (let’s be honest, that’s what they are),  such as the National School Boards Association (NSBA) and its state affiliates, work against the values of your constituents. We believe that it should be an individual choice of the school board member how their individual taxpayer-funded membership dues are directed in THE NAME OF THE SCHOOL  BOARD MEMBER, like it is in Florida where LAW LINK has been the case since 2016

We are advocates for fiscal transparency and accountability.

We are courageously committed to hearing citizen input, even if it is unflattering, and upholding the First Amendment Rights of citizens to address their elected representatives in safe and open public meetings by learning to properly manage conflict courageously. Threats of violence and other real concerns are most appropriately handled by local authorities as there are already laws governing this. 

A major benefit of membership is the growing library of Professional Development of training, available for replay 24/7 every day of the year online. We will be uploading all of the prior trainings FCSBM conducted over the past few years and regularly adding important content for new and veteran SBMs alike. 

Regular (planned as monthly) Virtual Open Forum Round-Table Policy Discussions with Fellow School Board Members and other Policy Experts to Collaborate on Issues Facing School Boards Today and How to Approach them as Conservatives. Recordings are available for replay to members. 

An Annual Conference to gather in person with fellow conservative School Board Members for in-depth professional development and policy discussion sessions and fellowship.